Closing Keynote with Nonkululeko Nyembezi

As part of the conference, the Africa Business Club will be hosting the New Venture Competition which seeks to showcase the diversity of entrepreneurs making a difference on the continent today.

From the pool of over 380 applications, 10 finalists were  invited to pitch their business in front of over 1,000 attendees and receive feedback from a panel of experienced judges. The competition winner and runner-up, and third place will be awarded cash prizes of $30,000, 15,000, and $10,000, respectively.

There are currently 800 million people without access to energy in the world, 80% of them are in Africa. This lack of energy stifles economic growth and development. There are several reasons why access to energy remains a challenge across Africa – insufficient generation capacity, poor transmission and distribution infrastructure, lack of affordability and inadequate regulation. This panel seeks to discuss how the public and private sector can work together to solve Africa’s energy crisis.

Africa accounts for only two to three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. Key development sectors have already experienced severe damages including water shortages, reduced food production, biodiversity loss, loss of lives and reduced economic growth. Populations as well as businesses alike are increasingly exposed. Governments, businesses, and civil society must collaborate to deploy and scale solutions across industries that accelerate climate resilience and adaptation. Africa is also uniquely positioned to capitalize on the international transition to “green growth”, with opportunities to tap into new, fast-growing industries that can help to reduce global emission while creating jobs and economic development at home. This panel highlights investors, operators, and advisors to businesses and governments who aim to build synergies on the continent between climate adaptation and sustainable growth.